Clarkson meets Green on the NBA court and makes history

Jordan Clarkson, left, and Jaylen Green made history Thursday.

 

It took a long time -- 75 years -- before two players of Filipino descent met on a National Basketball Association court.

When the Utah Jazz faced the Houston Rockets in the Toyota Center in Houston, history was made when Utah's Jordan Clarkson and Houston's Jalen Green played against each other Thursday evening (Oct. 28).

The night marked the first time two players with Filipino heritage played in the same game. Clarkson’s grandmother is from the Philippines, as does Green’s grandfather.

The outcome of the game -- Utah 122, Houston, 91 -- didn't matter to Filipino American basketball fans on the Rocket's first Filipino Heritage Month. 

The stats don't tell the complete story. Clarkson, the most experience of the two players, wound up with 16 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists. Nineteen-year old Green, ironicly his fifth game in the NBA, ended the evening with 13 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

Since both players were guards, they sometimes found themselves guarding each other. Ironically, Green sported a jersey with "0" on it and Clarkson's number was "00." Despite their similar zero numbers, they scored big with the Filipinos who attended the game. 

In honor of the historic occasion, the Rockets held Filipino Heritage Night at Toyota Center, where T-shirts with Green’s No. 0 were given to each fan. The fans were also treated with an exclusive Q&A with Green. To their delight and surprise, Clarkson came out of the visitors' locker room to join them.

"Just us two being here, it's super inspirational for the youth and every Filipino-American, every Filipino, anybody with Filipino blood," Clarkson said after the game.

Basketball is wildly popular in the Philippines, A basketball court, even with a dirt floor, can be found in the smallest barangay (neighborhood). Every Filipino basketball fan follows Clarkson's feats on the court and his jersey is one of the most popular in the Philippines. He has played with Gilas Pilipinas, one of the pro teams in the Philippines Basketball Association, the NBA's counterpart. 

"When I step on the floor," Clarkson started to say, and then corrected himself to include Green, "when we step on the floor, we know we represent the country, represent our people, and we go out there and do what we do."

"We feel the love, we feel the support," added Clarkson..

Remains found in desert are that of missing Korean American woman

LAUREN CHO

The human remains found Oct. 9 in Southern California have been found and identified as that of Lauren "El" Cho,  who has been missing since June, officials confirmed Thursday.

The positive identification brought a sad end to the months-long search for Cho, a 30-year old Korean American whose case was brought to light in the debate over the lack of news media coverage compared to the sensational coverage that occurred when Gabby Petito, a young white woman was reported missing.

"The cause and manner of death is pending toxicology results," said the Oct. 28  statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office. "No further information will be released on this case until such time toxicology results are available and new information is discovered as a result."

The statement from the Sheriff's Office reiterated the search efforts of the authorities that included rescue dogs and air surveillance.

Cho's body was found in an rugged area that had been previously searched several times during the summer, not far from her last known location, an artist-oriented Airbnb rental in Yucca Valley, about 30 miles north of Palm Springs.

Investigators have not indicated whether or not foul play is suspected in Cho’s death. However, the Sheriff's statement continued: “The cause and manner of death is pending toxicology results. No further information will be released on this case until such time toxicology results are available and new information is discovered as a result."

“My family extends their thanks to all those who have waited with us, stood with us, cried with us, and hoped with us these past several months,” a Facebook post read following confirmation of Cho’s death. “The depths of our collective sorrow feels endless as grief demands space for its accompanying emptiness. I ask that you kindly respect the grieving process of the family and close friends who have known and loved El for years.”

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Detective Shaunna Ables at the Morongo Basin Station at (760)366-4175. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com.

Deputy convicted for shooting Filipino American for acting "suspicious"

SCREEN CAPTURE / KTVU

Laudemer Arboleda, left, shot for acting "suspicious.

A Contra Costa County deputy has been convicted for fatally shooting a Filipino American three years ago.

The family of Laudemer Arboleda received a $4.9 million settlement from Contra Costa County and the California town of Danville where Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Hall fired ten rounds at Arboleda at nearly point blank range, hitting him. nine times.

Hall, who is White, was convicted of felony assault with a firearm in Superior Court in Martinez, the County seat, on Tuesday for shooting the Filipino American man, The jury couldn’t reach a decision on the more serious charge of manslaughter and the judge declared a mistrial on that charge.

“I hope the message this sends is that the public will hold police accountable for police misconduct,” said attorney John Burris, who represented the Arboleda family. “And that cities and counties have some responsibility to train their officers in such a way that they do not use deadly force under circumstances where it is unnecessary.”

On Nov. 3, 2018, Arboleda drove to suburban Danville from his home in Newark, about a half-hour drive away. It was unclear why Arboleda went to Danville. In a residential cul de sac he began knocking on doors to ask for directions.

One resident called the police saying the 33-year old Arboleda was acting "suspicious." Danville, a town of about 44,000, is 80% White and 13% Asian American.

Police arrived as Arboleda was driving away. The officers (Danville contracts with the County for deputies) who initially were able to pull Arboleda over but as they got out of their cars, he drove away again. At one point, the officersdrew their guns but didn't shoot, allowing Arboleda to slowly drive away. He led Danville police on a nine-minute, slow-speed pursuit. 

Hall arrived minutes later and attempted to block Arboleda with his car. Hall testified that he feared Arboleda was going to run him over and that was when he pulled his gun from its holster and fired into Arboleda's car as it passed by. However, from the police dash and body cam video, it is clear that officer Hall was not in harm's way and if anything, put himself in the path of the car.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

Body cam video shows Officer John Hall aiming his gun at Laudemer Arboleda.

Arboleda’s family has said the 33-year-old was mentally ill, a condition for which he was hospitalized earlier in 2018.

For his conviction, Hall faces up to 17 years in prison, with sentencing set for January, Arboleda's attorneys said. Becton said her office would consult with the family and determine whether to retry Hall on the manslaughter charge.

While awaiting trial, Hall was allowed to resume his duties as a police officer and was involved in the fatal shooting of Tyrell Wilson, a Black homeless man whose family said was suffering from depression and paranoia. 

“Today’s guilty verdict holds accountable defendant Andrew Hall for his excessive use of force in the fatal shooting of Laudemer Arboleda," Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. 

"Deputy Hall’s actions were not only a crime, but they tarnished the badge and they harmed the reputation of all the good, hard working police officers that work for our community. My Office extends our condolences to the family of Mr. Arboleda. With regards to the voluntary manslaughter count, we will take the matter under review to determine the appropriate next steps.”

A separate federal civil lawsuit against Hall filed by Arboleda’s mother is also proceeding toward trial.

Adante Pointer, one of the attorneys representing Arboleda's family in the civil suit, called Tuesday's outcome “partial justice.”

“But it was a big step towards holding Andrew Hall responsible and accountable for needlessly taking this young man's life,” he said. “But the fight isn't over. ... We still feel there's more justice to be had.”

FilAm History Month: New Itliong mural unveiled in Delano

 

Besides honoring Larry Itliong, the mural emphasizes the labor leader's love of reading.

A new mural honoring the life of Filipino American labor activist Larry Itliong was unveiled in Delano, Calif. on his birthday, Oct. 25, which the State of California has declared as Larry Itliong Day.

In attendance were a host of local dignitaries, school officials and Rob Bonta, California's first Filipino American attorney general, whose parents were labor organizers for the United Farm Workers, cofounded by Itliong and Cesar Chavez. When he was a member of the California Assembly, Bonta authored and passed the bill making Oct. 25 Larry Itliong Day.

The mural, designed by artist Eliseo Art Silva with the help of the students of Morningside Elementary School in Delano, featured a speech by Patty Serda, who has been the school librarian for 21 years.

Silva said the children helped him narrow down the narrative and eventually assisted him with painting the wall.

“They see it differently without bias, without what do you call it -- an agenda. Their only agenda is to tell a story,” said Silva.

Following is her Serda's speech.

By Patty Itliong Serda 

Morningside School Librarian

I am the youngest daughter of Larry Dulay Itliong. Today is an emotional day for me seeing the first Larry Itliong mural in Delano at my school, Morningside.

And realizing this is a symbol of my dad’s life’s work. I wanted to first thank Blue Shield of California, Rick Bond and Debbie Chang for being an instrumental part in this mural without them sponsoring this mural this would still be a distant dream of mine. So thank you to Blue Shield and everyone involved in bringing light unto this project/dream of mine.

Secondly, I would like to acknowledge and thank the students and staff at my school, Mr. Chavez, principal, Mrs. Gibbs, vice-principal, the board of trustees, and superintendent’s cabinet and our Superintendent Rosalina Rivera for want to help bring awareness to my dad’s fight for justice and equality, and to the willingness to each our younger generation about Filipino American history because after all it is American history.

I am so honored that we can share this moment with state Attorney General Rob Bonta and his family. For he is key in passing the bill AB7 that proclaims Oct. 25 as Larry Itliong Day and designate that public schools and educational institutions observe that date by conducting exercises remembering the life of Larry Itliong and the contributions he made to our sate.

With that being said, today is the perfect day to unveil this amazing mural created and painted by Eliseo Art Silva, a world renowned artist. As I look through each state of the mural I can’t help but imagine my dad’s journey and legacy. For having such amazing dreams and passion at such a young age. It reminds me so much of the dreams and passions of my own children as well as students here at Morningside.

My dad’s story has taught so many people that dreams and passions are not easy but always possible. This is true when in comes to the story about my dad. When he got to America he realized that his dream would be a long journey ahead. He decided he needed to work in the fields to make a living and that is when he realized that people of color were treated unfairly, so he decided to become a Farm Labor Activist.

I call him a HERO.

SCREEN CAPTURE

Larry Itliong's daughter Patty Serda in front of the mural honoring her father.

He knew he had to do something to help the people. So he became the voice of the people. In the field, there were no restrooms, no clean drinking water, no shade from the hot sun and no breaks.

I can’t even imagine what that must have been like for them. And on top of all that, they would receive very little pay for such long hard work!

My dad knew something had to be done. So he took a bold step and decided to stand up for the rights of the people. My dad was passionate about organizing groups of people to stand up for their rights. He was a great organizer.

He soon partnered with Cesar Chavez and together they formed a union. On Sept. 7, 1965, they decided together that Mexicans and Filipinos would go on strike. The Delano Grape Strike is a very historic event that happened in this small town of Delano. The strike was successful because it caused change for the better. All these historic events are depicted on this beautiful meaningful mural.

The last panel on this mural is significant to me because it is a picture of my dad and I together with him reading to me and other children. This is such and important part of the mural to me since my dad learned so much by reading himself. I fell that is whey I’m passionate about educating our children about reading. I guess being a librarian is a perfect job for me. It reminds me of my dad every time I see children interested in books.

I was so close to my father even though, when he passed, I was only 7. He used to take me to work with him in his office in Chinatown. There are so many amazing memories about my dad like when I used to climb on his bed every night before bed and he would brush my hair. This great memory is also in the mural, with a hidden hair brush as a symbol of our father/daughter relationship. We shared so many great memories, but the most important thing my dad taught me was to believe in my dreams, fight for what is right and never give up!

The mural is entitled: The Larry Itliong Story: The Road to Equality and Justice. We picked this name because each one us has a story to tell and I want everyone to know the story about my dad. They say a legacy is an individual that makes a mark on the world and represents an impact they have made on people or places. My dad’s legacy will live on forever and will continue to do so if we take that same passion and drive that my dad had and also pursue our dreams and goals and when things seem tough or impossible you NEVER GIVE UP!

Thank you for letting me share with you today about this amazing man, I call my dad. On this date, Oct. 25, as we celebrate Larry Itliong Day, it is my hope that you will feel inspired to stand up for justice and equality just like my dad did. Thank you!

UCLA report reveals viewers prefer TV content that reflects reality of a diverse America

Netflix's "Awkwafins is Nora from Queens" has a laregly Asian cast.

The changing demographic trends in the U.S. is slowly beginning to show up in movies houses and home screens even as Hollywood decision makers continue to cater to an audience that continues to shrink.

The latest UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, Part 2 published Tuesday, reveals that U.S. television viewers during the COVID-19 pandemic look for and prefer content that reflects the diversity of the real America and addresses concerns or situations faced by people of color. Surprisingly, and perhaps a ray of hope, White audiences shared the same preferences.

“We have seen this appetite for diverse content repeated over the history of our analyses,” said Darnell Hunt, co-author of the report and UCLA’s dean of social sciences. “The fact that shows with diverse writers rooms did well last year also illustrates that audiences are looking for authentic portrayals.”

The report comes a month after the Emmys featured all White nominees in the acting categories demonstrating Hollywood studio's apparent ingrained racial bias in casting prominent roles and producing entertainment catering to an audience from the 1950s made up primarily of Blacks and Whites.

Click here to download the complete UCLA report.

Asian, Latino and Indigenous talent in front of and behind the camera continue to get under represented.

The UCLA report, which covers statistics for the 2019–20 TV season, tracks racial and gender diversity among key job categories, as well as ratings and social media engagement for 461 scripted shows across 50 broadcast, cable and streaming providers.

Part 1 of the report released  by UCLA earlier this year, focused on the diversity efforts of the movie industry.

The new study found a continued correlation between the racial makeup of shows’ writers and TV ratings. For example, among households of all races in 2019–20, the scripted broadcast shows that earned the highest ratings were those in which people of color made up between 31% and 40% of the credited writers. 

Overall, racial diversity improved in almost every job category tracked by the report, and representation among women improved in about half of the job titles. Despite the better numbers of POC employment in the industry, Asians, Latinos and Indigenous talent continue to be underrepresented.

And for the first time in the report’s history, people of color had a higher percentage of scripted broadcast TV acting roles, 43.4%, than their overall percentage of the U.S. population.

Across all three platform types -- broadcast, streaming, digital -- there were more people of color credited as writers than in the previous report. Overall, people of color made up 26.4% of the credited writers for broadcast series last season (up from 23.4%), 28.6% of credited writers for cable (up from 25.8%) and 24.2% of credited writers for streaming (up from 22.8%). Most of those modest gains were recorded by women, according to the study.

But people of color are still largely underrepresented among TV writers, given that 42.7% of Americans are nonwhite.

More actors of color

Over the decade since the Hollywood Diversity Report began, diversity has improved the most among acting jobs, especially in TV, compared with all other TV and movie job types. In 2019–20, television shows with majority-nonwhite casts were more prevalent than ever.

Bolstered by Asian American shows such as Never Have I Ever and Awkwafina is Nora From Queens, for the first time since the researchers began tracking data, a plurality of shows on cable (28.1%) and streaming platforms (26.8%) featured casts in which the majority of actors were nonwhite. And 32.1% of broadcast shows had majority-nonwhite casts, up from just 2.0% in the first report 10 years ago.

The new report provides further support for the fact that audiences favor shows with diverse casts. During 2019–20, among white households, ratings for scripted broadcast shows were highest for shows whose actors were 31% to 40% nonwhite. Among Black households, scripted broadcast shows with the highest ratings where those in which cats were more than 50% nonwhite.

For streaming programming, which is dominated by Netflix, ratings among white, Black and Asian households were highest for shows with casts that were from 31% to 40% nonwhite.

TOP: Mindy Kaling's "Never Have I Ever" features a diverse cast and, bottom, the 2021 version
 of  "Kung Fu" centers on an Chinese American family.

The report’s authors also analyze audiences’ interaction with TV programs on social media, and how those trends correspond with cast diversity. For scripted cable shows during 2019–20, for example, they found that programs with majority nonwhite casts had the highest engagement on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And for streaming shows, audience engagement on Twitter specifically was highest for programs with majority nonwhite casts.

Diverse show creators equals mixed casts 

Another area in which diversity improved was among show creators such as Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina and Dean Devlin. That’s an important datapoint because show creators have influence over which stories are developed, whose stories they represent and how they’re told, said Ana-Christina Ramón, co-author of the report and the director of research and civic engagement in the UCLA Division of Social Sciences.

“We also see that when women and people of color hold high-level creative positions, there is greater diversity down the line in casting and likely for crew hiring,” Ramón said. “Women and people of color are still very underrepresented in these and other behind-the-camera jobs, which is why this report continues to exist.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, view and news with an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd

It's happening now, AAPI voting power being diluted as voting rights bills stalled in Congress

Asian American voters were influential in a number of races in the 2020 elections.

Just as AAPI voters begin to flex their political muscles, Republicans are trying their best to diminish the influence the Asian Americans and Pacific Islander electorate exercised in recent elections.

Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote( is disappointed that debate on the Freedom to Vote Act has been blocked again in the Senate. A majority of Americans support the provisions in this bill, but a minority of Senators continue to block it.

“When Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders came out in historic numbers in 2020, we were able to do so because of options such as voting-by-mail and early voting," said Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) in a statement. 

"Now, however, 19 states have passed 33 laws this year alone that will make it harder for Americans to vote – many of which make a point to limit the voting options that allowed our communities to make a decisive impact last year in the first place. This is no coincidence. This is a direct attack on Asian and Pacific Islanders and other marginalized communities in an attempt to silence us.”

The 2020 federal election drew the United States’ highest voter turnout in more than a century, breaking records despite the Covid-19 pandemic and efforts to undermine the election process with the Big Lie of a stolen election," said a report from the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan think tank.

In a backlash to this historic voter participation, many state lawmakers have proposed and enacted legislation to make it harder for Americans to vote, justifying these measures with falsehoods steeped in racism about election irregularities and breaches of election security.

“For democracy to work for all of us, it must include us all – and this bill does that. It protects our freedom to vote, ensures fair representation, and limits the influence of big money in our politics; this bill will make our government accountable to the people,” continued APIAVote.

The Freedom to Vote Act, which is currently before the Senate, is a comprehensive package of voting, redistricting, and campaign finance reforms. It includes national standards for voting that would ensure access to the ballot across state lines. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which has passed in the House, would complement the Freedom to Vote Act.

The Brennan Center report goes on to point out that restrictive laws in four states — Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas — impose new or more stringent criminal penalties on election officials or other individuals. These new criminal laws will deter election officials and other people who assist voters from engaging in ordinary, lawful, and often essential tasks.

People in Georgia, where the registration of new AAPI voters helped give the GOP-controlled state to Biden and elect two Democratic Senators, can now be charged with a crime for handing out water or snacks to voters waiting in line at the polls.

In Iowa and Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning ballots on behalf of voters who may need assistance, such as voters with disabilities. And in Texas, election officials could face criminal prosecution if they encourage voters to request mail ballots or attempt to prevent poll watchers’ intimidating behavior on voters or election department workers.

For example, Texas enacted S.B. 1, omnibus legislation that disproportionately burdens Latino, Black, and Asian voters and makes it harder for those who face language access barriers or who have disabilities to get help casting their ballots, reports the Brennan Center. The law also constrains election workers’ ability to stop harassment by poll watchers and bans 24-hour and drive-thru voting, among other measures. In a state where it was already hard to vote, S.B. 1 compounds the barriers faced by Texas voters. 

REDISTRICTING

Let's not mince words. It is the Trump-led Republicans who are providing the resistance to voting rights under the guise of the baseless allegation that they are protecting the election process from voter fraud.

And if they have their way, through the process of gerrymandering Congressional districts, they're hopeful that they can cheat their way to gaining the majority in the House and Senate in the 2022 mid-terms, thus assuring that the anti-voting laws stay in place.

Although the 2020 Census that Texas has grown more diverse over the last decade -- 95% of the state's population growth were people of color -- thus awarding the state two new Congressional districts, through newly drawn districts, Republicans have effectively turned back time by ensuring White majority rule that has controlled Texas since the Reconstruction. Thus, there are more majority-white districts and fewer Hispanic majority districts at the expense of the growing political power of Latino, Black and Asian voters in the cities and suburbs.

Districts like the 22nd in Fort Bend County and the 24th in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs had finally become competitive political battlegrounds in the last election cycle as multi-racial coalitions banded together almost electing Filipino American Gina Ortiz in the 22nd and Indian American Sri Preson Kulkarni in the 24th.

 “That was like a glimpse of the future of American politics. Very coalitional, very multi-racial,” says Michael Li, a redistricting lawyer with the Brennan Center for Justice. But Republicans chose to dismantle those seats, packing diversifying areas into new deep-blue Democratic districts or adding them to GOP-held seats made whiter and redder by extending out into far-flung rural counties.

“Republicans are really scared of the suburbs because they’re becoming more diverse and because White voters in the suburbs aren’t as reliable for Republicans anymore and they’re not sure they’re getting it back anytime soon,” Li says.

This tactic of dividing Democratic districts, many of which have large numbers of constituencies of color is going on in other states: Georgia, Arizona, Michigan among others.

“We now urge the Senate to do whatever it takes to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and send it to President Biden’s desk," says APIAVote. "Time is running out, and passing vote rights legislation now is imperative.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, rips, raves and references from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Ice skating: Nathan Chen stumbles, Vincent Zhou rises wins Grand Prix title

USA SKATE

For the first time, Nathan Chen beat fellow American Nathan Chen in Las Vegas over the weekend.

An Asian American came in first in the men's free skate at Skate America on Saturday at Las Vegas' Orleans Areina, but it wasn't perennial champion Nathan Chen.

A spectacular Vincent Zhou easily held off Chen’s challenge, winning his first Grand Prix title and snapping Chen’s streak of 14 consecutive titles over the span of three-plus seasons.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” Zhou said. “I didn’t really expect this result. What I did expect of myself was to be as well prepared and well trained as I possibly could be, and focusing on that every day at home led to the seemingly impossible becom(ing) possible.”

When added to Friday’s short program scores, Zhou won gold with 295.56 points, and Japan’s Shoma Uno took silver with 270.68 points. Despite placing second in the free skate, Chen — who finished fourth in the short program — settled for bronze with 269.37 points.

It is the first time Zhou has defeated Chen, who is a year older, in senior competition. The win comes on the eve of Zhou’s birthday — the Palo Alto, California, native turned 21 on Sunday (Oct. 24).

Zhou credited getting an early start this season — Skate America is his fourth competition — as well as superior preparation and good health, for his win.

“My training this year has been by far the most consistent and productive training I have ever had,” he said. “Being well prepared, training to perform under whatever circumstances, is really paying off. ... It’s just all about managing the ups and downs, not letting anything get into my head, working hard, keeping the goals in mind.”

For his part, Chen shrugged off the end of his winning streak, which had stretched back to the 2018 World Figure Skating Championships.  

“It is not devastating,” he said. “It was inevitably going to end (at) some point in time. ... I am really proud of the guys up here. If anyone was going to break it, I’m glad it was (Vincent).”

The two Team USA athletes both put on powerful technical displays in their free skates. Zhou attempted, and landed, five quadruple jumps, while Chen tried six quads, landing four and doubling out of the other two.

“Trying and accomplish(ing) are very different things, right?” Chen said. “I ended up doing four. ... The more you put out, the more risky it is. Is it worth it, I don't know. It depends on the day, I guess.”

Zhou’s free skate, set to the “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” soundtrack, is far more seasoned, choreographically layered and compelling than Chen’s program to Mozart selections. Zhou first performed it during the 2018-19 season, winning the world bronze medal.

“I think it’s a very strong all-around program, it fits my character — well, it’s exciting,” he said. “I’m able to move to it well, it has a strong ending.”

The judges agreed: they awarded Zhou 198.13 points for his free skate, while Chen earned 186.48 points. 

Zhou had the last word at the press conference, tipping his hat to his longtime rival.

“Obviously, I don’t expect to win everything, I’m not Nathan Chen,” he said. “It’s an honor to compete in such a deep men’s field and an honor to win the gold medal. ... We are going to take this for what it is and ride the momentum and keep moving forward.”

In the ice dancing competition, Asian American Madison Chock and her partner Evan Bates, came in second to with 208.23. The pair was edged by their training mates Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue who earned 209.54 points.

-- USA SKATE

Filipino American and NBA history will be made in a basketball game, Oct. 28 Jazz vs. Rockets

When the NBA's Houston Rockets host the Utah Jaz on Oct. 28, expect a lot of Filipino Americans to be sitting in the Toyota Center.

Besides being Filipino Heritage Night, it will be the first time in the history of the sport that two players of Filipino descent play against each other, as the Rockets talented rookie Jalen Green takes on Jazz's outstanding sixth man Jordan Clarkson.

October 28 is the first time the Texas team has held a Filipino Heritage Night. Fans can avail a hat and a special post-game Q&A with Jalen Green. In addition to that, all fans in attendance will be given a special Jalen Green shirt.

The 6'-5" Green, who opted to forego a college scholarship to play in the NBA's G-league, was selected by the Rockets as the second overall pick in this year's NBA draft.

The Rockets aren’t the first to host a Filipino Heritage Night in the NBA. The Brooklyn Nets did a similar event in 2016 when Clarkson visited as a member of the L.A. Lakers visited, in honor of the huge Filipino community in New York and New Jersey. 

The Golden State Warriors , with a fan base drawing from the large Filipino American community in the San Francisco Bay area, has been holding a Filipino Heritage Night annually for years. 

However, the Jazz-Rocket game in Houson will be a bit more special with the meeting of Clarkson and Green.

Green, the Rockets prized rookie guard, is born to a Filipina mother, and has played in the Philippines multiple times, albeit only in exhibition games. Jordan Clarkson's mother is also from the Philippines. 

Jordan Clarkson played for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games.

Both players may have a chance to be teammates representing the Philippines in FIBA-sanctioned events in the future.

Clarkson has already represented the Philippines in international play, suiting up for them during the 2018 Asian Games and Green has also expressed an interest in doing the same. 

“I love the Philippines. They show me love and support and I’m just happy to represent them," said Green. "I have family out there”.

LA County reports a 76% spike in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020, the biggest increase since 9/11

SCREEEN CAPTURE / CBS

Hate crimes against Asian Americans in Los Angeles County increased by 76% last year. While the percentage may be smaller than the state's 107% surge, it is the largest spike in hate crimes against a specific ethnic group since 9/11 sparked a surge of hate acts against South Asian, according to a Los Angeles County report.

The report by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations (LACCHR) released Oct. 20 means that in real numbers, there was a jump from 25 to 44 hate crimes in 2020. 

“We are in the middle of a full-on state of emergency, a full-on state of crisis, when it comes to hate crimes and hate incidents nationwide and here in California,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said during a news conference after after meeting with Long Beach community leaders on Thursday. “No part of the state is immune from hate.”

“It is troubling to learn of the 76% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “These numbers continue to underscore the need for increased outreach for reporting hate crimes, along with culturally competent support to help prevent acts of violence and protect survivors." 

There were most likely more hate crimes that went unreported because AAPI tend to not report the incidents to police. “We believe that under-reporting of hate crimes is a serious problem in the Asian community because of linguistic and cultural barriers, immigration status, unfamiliarity with the criminal justice system, and fear that reporting hate crimes could bring retaliation or unwanted publicity,” the commission wrote in its report.

About 45% of the crimes against Asian people in the county last year happened in the city of Los Angeles, according to the report. A “significant cluster” took place in the South Bay that include the cities of Long Beach, Torrance and Carson where large communities of Asian Americans reside. The rest were recorded throughout smaller cities and unincorporated places, regardless of whether a large Asian population was present in the community.

"These crimes are disgusting racists tropes propagated by ignorant statements and actions that ultimately hurt our communities as a whole. It is my hope that the additional resources the Board has surged to the "LA vs. Hate" initiative will strengthen the impact of our many partners combatting hate on the frontlines and providing justice and healing to our communities,” said Mitchell.

Although there are thousands of hate incidents against Asian Americans, most of those reported to an agency such as Stop AAPI Hate cannot meet the legal criteria to be called a hate crime. In California, for an incident to be labeled a hate crime requires evidence that bias hatred or prejudice was a substantial motivating factor in the commission of the crime.

Significant findings by the Commission include the following:

• Specific Asian nationalities and ethnicities were the targets of hate. Most slurs were anti-Chinese, but anti-Japanese and anti-Asian Indian hate crimes also occurred. Among the victims were people of Korean, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, and Guatemalan ethnicity.
• In 10 of the anti-Asian hate crimes (23%), the suspects explicitly blamed the victims for COVID-19.
• The rate of hate-related violence in 2019 (76%) and 2020 (77%) was significantly higher compared to prior years.
• The median age of victims increased from 30 to 41. Half of the victims were over 40, including two seniors. In 2019, there were no victims of hate crimes over 40. 
• There was a tripling in the number of female victims of anti-Asian hate crime compared to the previous year, rising to nearly half of all victims
• In cases in which the race of the suspect was known, Whites made up 42% of anti-Asian hate crime suspects. This was followed by Latino/a (36%) suspects and African American (19%) suspects.

“This last finding is particularly important,” noted Robin Toma, LACCHR Executive Director. “Contrary to impressions which might be drawn from videos in social media posts and news coverage, which are of only a fraction of the actual hate crimes, our report indicates that the racial makeup of suspects committing anti-Asian hate crimes is much more racially diverse.”

“The scapegoating of Asian Americans during the current pandemic is part of a dark history that includes LA’s Chinatown massacre of 1871, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, as well as the racially-motivated murder of Vincent Chin in 1982 and the killing of Joseph Ileto in LA by a white supremacist in 1999,” said Commission President Guadalupe Montaño. “It did not help that the former President repeatedly referred to COVID-19 as ‘chinavirus’ and ‘kung-flu.’”

“While I am proud of our innovative LA vs. Hate campaign, the 2020 anti-Asian Hate Crime Report shows that we have much more work to do,” shared Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor to the First District. 

“The First District is home to many residents of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. It is disturbing that our AAPI communities continue to be targeted and discriminated against. We must ensure that Los Angeles County is truly a place where everyone can be who they are without fear," she said.

The L.A. County surge in anti-Asian hate is disconcerting but other cities in the U.S have experienced even high spikes. In New York City, hate crimes against Asians soard over 150% in 2020. For California overall, the increase was 107% says Bonta, the first Filipino American AG for the state.

In response to the rise in hate, the Board of Supervisors directed LACCHR to develop an initiative to prevent and respond to hate incidents in the County, which resulted in “L.A. vs Hate.” 

The “L.A. vs Hate” initiative has three components: 

(1) a community-driven public engagement campaign to encourage residents and organizations to unite against and report acts of hate; 

(2) the first government hotline (via 211) for reporting acts of hate and providing assistance to hate victims; and 

(3) a network of community agencies that provide hate prevention and rapid response services. 

Since launching in June 2020, “L.A. vs Hate” content has been viewed over 468 million times and has been shared over 88 million times. Since September 2019, when L.A. vs. Hate and 211 began accepting calls to report hate, L.A. vs. Hate has received more than 1,400 reports of hate acts.

Otto Solórzano, Acting Director of the LA County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services said the increase in hate is alarming. “With hate crimes likely to be underreported, we know that the actual number of hate crimes is higher than we’re able to report," he said. "If you experience a hate crime or hate act, call 211 or go to www.LAvsHate.org to receive assistance.”

To view the 2020 anti-Asian Hate Crime Report, please click here. LA County’s annual Hate Crime Report, which will encompass all reported hate crimes in LA County, will be released in November.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, tips and referrals, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

New show for kids features Filipino American characters along with a dragon

Pogo, Jelly and Ben listen respectfully to Lola.

Even with the multitude of programs on TV or streaming, there are few shows that reflect and reinforce Filipino heritage, history and values aimed at young children.

The excellent Blues Clues and You and Molly of Denali are two of the programs prominently featuring Filipino characters. Now add Jelly, Ben & Pogo.

Building on a commitment to authentic representation in PBS KIDS content, Jelly, Ben & Pogo, a series of funny and engaging animated shorts from Primal Screen, debuted Oct. 4.

Created by Jalysa Leva, each short follows the adventures of the intrepid Jelly, her brainy little brother, Ben, and Pogo, a young sea monster who is always ready to get the party started. Jelly and Ben’s family are of Filipino heritage, and the show is infused with Filipino culture throughout, including the Tagalog language and food and music from the Philippines. 

Jelly, Ben, and Lola (their grandmother) are voiced by Filipino and Filipino Americans Leva (Ben) along with Christina Sivrich (Pogo), Vanille Vasquez (Jelly) and Diadem Faith (Lola).

The three best friends help their neighbors – and each other – by identifying a problem and working together to find a solution, often using STEAM concepts and always understanding the unique perspectives and needs of those they are helping.

There are several ways to watch Jelly, Ben & Pogo, check local PBS listings for air times. A new episode available every Friday. It is also available for streaming on Youtube. One can also download an app here. Or view an episode, right here.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, tips, views and reviews from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @dioknoed.